Metformin and Temsirolimus in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Solid Tumor or Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed malignancy, including any of the following types:

  * Renal cell
  * Endometrial
  * Breast
  * Small cell lung carcinoma
  * Lymphoma
* Metastatic or unresectable disease for which standard curative or palliative measures do not exist or are no longer effective
* Measurable disease according to RECIST criteria
* No unstable primary CNS tumors or metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

* ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 or Karnofsky PS 60-100%
* Life expectancy \> 12 weeks
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1.5 x 10\^9/L
* Platelets ≥ 100 x 10\^9/L
* AST ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Serum creatinine ≤ ULN
* Serum bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Able to understand and willing to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion criteria:

* Allergies to or a history of allergic reactions attributed to any other compound of similar chemical or biologic composition to temsirolimus or metformin
* Diabetes mellitus (type I or II)
* Uncontrolled hypertriglyceridemia (triglyceride levels \> 10 mmol/L)
* History of lactic acidosis
* Inability to swallow or digest oral medications
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Uncontrolled hypertension
  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Unstable angina pectoris
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * Psychiatric illness/social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements
* Significant traumatic injury within 21 days prior to treatment

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Inclusion criteria:

* Recovered from all prior therapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy (6 weeks for carmustine or mitomycin C) except low-dose, non-myelosuppressive radiotherapy
* No limitation on other prior therapy
* Concurrent low-dose anticoagulant (i.e., warfarin) allowed provided INR ≤ 1.1 times ULN
* Concurrent full-dose anticoagulant (i.e., warfarin) allowed provided INR is within institutional therapeutic range (usually 2.0-3.0)

Exclusion criteria:

* Major surgery within the past 21 days
* Prior temsirolimus (or other known inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin) or metformin
* Concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* Concurrent enzyme-inducing anti-epileptic drugs (EIAEDs) (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, or phenobarbital) or other CYP3A4 inducer (e.g., rifampin or Hypericum perforatum \[St. John's wort\])
* Concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies to treat the patient's malignancy
* Other concurrent investigational agents other than temsirolimus or metformin